Video: We Love Wanderlust VT!

The HH Readers Interview Wanderlust Teacher John Friend the Founder of Anusara

-How does one obtain enlightenment through the practice of yoga? - Gene Douthit
JF: Any time that we tap into our hearts and get a moment of recognition that we are all connected as ecstatically whirling, infinitely creative, auspicious consciousness then we have a moment of enlightenment. Anusara yoga teaches us that the access to the experience of enlightenment can be gained anytime and in relationship to anything. The gateway is the middle place, a flowing union point between contrary compliments. We use Universal Principles of Alignment to harmonize with the flow of life and Spirit so that we are able to access this gateway to the recognition of our true essence.

-What has your practice taught you about yourself lately? - Sarah B.

JF: After 35 years of practice, my understanding of mantra and its power has deepened, offering me new revelations.

-Who has your greatest teacher been? - Erin Connolly

JF: My mother has been my greatest teacher. She taught me how to see the vast possibilities of my life and to see the creative diversity in nature. Yet she also constantly pointed out the universal connections between religions and between various philosophies on Spirit. She showed me how to see the deep order in apparent chaos. Lastly, my mother taught me to keep a positive attitude and to see every day as a holiday.

-Who were your top 3 non-yoga influences in putting together your Anusara philosophy? - Charles Hussein Faris

JF: My top 3 non-hatha yoga philosophical influences are Theosophy of H. P. Blavatsky, Wicca, and Quantum Physics.

-How do you balance your family/friends/significant others with the concept of non-attachment? - Corinne Elizabeth

JF: I honor and respect the other as an embodiment of the Divine. I wish for everyone to be free to artistically express themselves. Each individual has their own karma and needs the space to fulfill their svadharma. Any close or intimate connection with a loved one is a blessing from the universe that is ultimately beyond our control.

-How has your past relationship with Gurumayi led to where you are today in your practice? - Jessica Sommar

JF: It is through my relationship with Gurumayi that I experienced that everything is a dance with the Shakti, or the power of Divine Consciousness. Yoga comes from the inside out. In the hatha yoga practice, the asana are expressions of a feeling or heart quality that is physicalized within the poses.

-Tell us about your fabulous partnership with Wanderlust and the Anusara events this summer. - Taraleigh Weathers

JF: Our partnership with Wanderlust has evolved since its flagship event in 2009. This year we have 2 dedicated Anusara yoga events, one before Wanderlust Vermont and one before Wanderlust California. The Anusara Grand Circle <http://anusaragrand.wanderlustfestival.com/home> is on the Summer Solstice in Stratton, Vermont on June 19th - 22nd. It will be a gathering of yogis from all over the world. It is Anusara's first large-scale community wide event on the East Coast! The Anusara Inspired Gathering <http://anusarainspired.wanderlustfestival.com/home> is July 24th - 27th. It’s the first time I am holding an event for both Anusara-Inspired and certified Anusara yoga teachers, where we will come together as both teachers and students to dive deep into our curriculum. I am super excited for these events and for the main Wanderlust events - how wonderful to be able to practice and hang out together in the heart of awe inspiring nature.

-What is your favorite healthy snack? - Taraleigh Weathers

JF: I like apple with a nut butter.

What the HH Readers Think of Camp Bisco

• I love ILCC and the bikers! I love that I don't have to walk 10,000 miles from my tent to the stages. I love chillin under the trees. I love all the fun art installations they have each year. I love the wide range of musicians that play. I love making fun of the sully Bisco wooks. I love that it's so close to home!
  
  Randy Kramer Pierce
  

  
  

  I love that everyone loves everyone. Everyone gathers for one sole purpose and that is: to free the soul, feel the vibes and take in all different forms of art in whatever crazy mindset the weekend happens to bring to you. You can walk into camp with $5 in your pocket and walk out rich with memories, connections and a never ending love for all that is Camp Bisco...and duh! The Biscuits themselves!!

  
  

  Missy Mertens

  
  

  I like that it is a non stop dance party in the land of the heady. I love that there are much less annoying ass hippies than most festivals. I like watching the wack jobs roam around at 5am.

  
  

  Greg Walton

  
  

  I love the music and all of the secret special things the Biscuits do to make sure that we are all having the best time of our lives. I won't tell you what those things are because you have to get your butt to Camp Bisco this year and see for yourselves.

  See you there!

  
  

  Taraleigh Weathers
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  Get your tickets to Camp Bisco by clicking HERE!
  Join the party in Mariaville, NY from July 7-9

StrangeCreek is Steppin' it up!

Close to two weeks after this year’s StrangeCreek Campout Music Festival I’m still glowing! Going back to Camp Kee-Wanee for me is like taking a trip ‘home’ to see friends and family I get to celebrate life with once or twice a year. I’ve been extremely fortunate to watch this festival grow over the past several years. With each year this festival gains momentum musically and a following faithful fans, so much so that this year is the first year the festival sold out! Not only has the festival grown, but the festival grounds have grown as well. Some of you may not know that the venue used for StrangeCreek is a summer camp for kids. Over the years the dedicated Wormtown Trading staff has helped to make huge improvements to the camp, clearing out tons of poison ivy, creating safe pathways for the campers to enjoy the creek, and building new cabins. One of the attributes that make the Wormtown family so special is that all of these improvements are done by volunteers who head up to camp early or agree to stay late to work their tails off to not only make Wormtown Festivals as fun (and safe) as possible, but also to help enrich the experiences of hundreds of campers.

In true Wormtown fashion the Worms are working hard at building three new cabins for the upcoming Summer Camp Season. These new cabins will serve as ‘home rooms’ for the campers to start and finish their days in. I love watching the evolution of the last set of cabins built by Wormtown. The campers have left their mark on our late cabins. (Be sure to check out the handprints, artwork, and messages left inside the cabins by the campers) reminding us that the camp is filled with love and joy all summer, not just on our special weekends spent there.

Not only have the Worms helped improve the grounds, but through the collection and redemption of cans and water and ice sales Camp Kee-Wanee benefits financially as well! Thanks to this income they have been able to keep the cost of camp extremely low which help allow more kids to experience the magic of Camp Kee-Wanee!

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out the line up for Wormtown in the fall, and help support this great community! Check their website for all the latest updates http://www.wormtown.com.

Just a friendly reminder of how important it is to clean up after ourselves after our stay at Camp Kee-Wanee, the campers deserve a super clean and fun experience!

by Erin Connolly

Jade Rocks Desert Rocks in Utah

Why Desert Rocks...Rocks!

When you think of a desert there may be a few words that come to mind to describe it; hot, dry, brown, lifeless, or even death. After attending Desert Rocks Music Festival in Moab, Utah this past Memorial Day weekend the words I use to describe a desert have changed drastically. Although it was very hot, the weekend had nothing dry, brown, lifeless, or anything close to death about it.

We arrived a little late to the festival on Friday afternoon and were greeted with smiling faces and a blistering sun. The festival organizers were completely prepared for the heat and the sun. There were always ample amounts of drinking water for festival patrons to rehydrate and cool down with. Even though the festival was relatively small, organizers even provided showers.

At many other festivals I have been to Monday morning has looked like a war scene. With trash and beer cans and bottles everywhere left behind from the previous nights’ activities. Coordinators did a fantastic job of having plenty of trash and recycling receptacles though out the grounds. We all felt a little better leaving the desert as we found it...clean and green.

Lifeless, I believe, would have to be the last word that would describe this desert. Whether it be the joyful sound of music until sunrise or just the smiling happy faces of everyone attending, the weekend was full of life. The musical performances were out of this world. Everyone from Hot Buttered Rum, who threw down for two nights in a row, to some of smaller names like DARKO and Quintana, that welcomed the sunrise with many of us, all made this weekend overflow with life.

All in all Desert Rocks is by far one of my favorite festivals I have been to and plan on continuing attending for years.

www.desertrocks.org

By Jade Konitzer